Chapter 110: The Mastermind Behind the Scenes

After buying the eggs, she prepared dinner and made two steamed egg custards specifically for the old lady. Mingyuan took Zuo He and went to the reservoir to catch two fish to supplement the old lady’s diet. As it was almost November, the fish weren’t biting much, but they managed to catch two, which was a decent harvest.

“Auntie, we caught some fish. We can make fish soup for grandma,” Zuo He said.

Zuo He ran into the house carrying a large fish, while Mingyuan followed with another. “Mom, we’ll stew this fish for Grandma to nourish her body,” Mingyuan said.

Zhang Lan took the fish from the children and gently touched Left Zuo’s slightly swollen eyes. ” Zuo He, go and talk to Grandma for a while. I’ll start cooking soon, and then we’ll have dinner with Grandma.”

The children gathered around the old lady. Wang Qian took out the snacks and candies brought back by Wang Zhenhe in the afternoon and distributed them. Zuo He obediently took a bite of the snack and then fed the old lady, while Wang Xuan poured a bowl of warm water from the thermos for the old lady to drink, concerned that she might find the food too dry.

“Thank you, Xuan’er. Grandma is really thirsty,” the old lady said as she drank the water, moistening her dry throat.

The couple was busy in the kitchen, and Zhang Lan also spoke to her husband about the events of that evening and the information she had gathered later. “Zhenhe, maybe we should just let this go. We know the truth in our hearts, and that’s what matters. Making a big fuss about it will only make things difficult for you.”

It was difficult for Zhang Lan to say these words. Did she not feel resentful? She did. She resented those relatives and family members more than anyone else. It was one thing if she couldn’t help, but enduring their constant scheming against her family and children was unbearable. She could endure the grievances she faced, but she couldn’t let her children be affected any longer. By expressing these thoughts, she hoped to spare her husband from feeling distressed.

“Wife, you’ve been wronged. I’m your man, and if I don’t stand up for you, then I’m a coward. They’ve crossed the line, and I can’t tolerate it anymore. Not even if it’s my mother,” Wang Zhenhe said without looking up, adding more firewood to the stove, his face distorted by the glow of the flames.

“Wife, don’t worry. I’ve got your back. Don’t overthink it. Take care of yourself. We have a long road ahead of us,” Wang Zhenhe said, unsure of what to say to comfort his wife. He felt angry himself, and he knew that the kind of hurt his wife experienced wouldn’t be easily forgotten.

During the meal, Zhang Lan brought the steamed egg custard to the old lady and helped her up. “Aunt, let me feed you.”

The old lady, though able to move now, couldn’t allow her to do so. “Niece, please don’t. My hands are fine, and I can eat on my own.”

Seeing the specially made egg custard in her bowl, the old lady was at a loss for words. The Wang family had always been in difficult circumstances, and their chickens weren’t laying eggs, so it was clear that Zhang Lan had bought it from outside.

“Niece, what can I say? I’m already grateful for a bowl of hot food. You don’t need to go to any trouble,” the old lady said.

Zhang Lan spoke softly, “Aunt, even though we haven’t known each other for long, I feel close to you. Let’s not stand on ceremony. Once you’re well, I’ll feel at ease. Eat up, please.”

“Don’t just feed me. Share some with the children,” the old lady said, feeling uncomfortable eating alone, especially with several children in the house.

“Grandma, you eat. We’re not craving that. When spring comes next year, our little chickens at home will start laying eggs, and then we can eat it every day,” Wang Xuan said, taking a bite of her pastry and comforting the old lady.

After the meal, Wang Zhenhe asked Old Man Wu to take the children out for their studies. Zhang Lan helped Old Man Zuo apply alcohol to the bruises on the old lady’s body. Wang Zhenhe grabbed a kitchen knife and left the house.

If he didn’t give his wife justice in this matter, he wouldn’t be able to face himself. The Zhu family’s house wasn’t far, and Wang Zhenhe was quick on his feet. He soon arrived at the Zhu family ancestral hall. Zhu Jianshe’s injuries had healed considerably over the past few days, although there were still bruises, they didn’t hinder his work.

Wang Zhenhe went straight to Zhu Jianshe’s house after entering the gate. Yang Liu and her husband were whispering inside. Unexpectedly, Wang Zhenhe kicked the door open and held the knife to Zhu Jianshe’s neck.

“Zhu Jianshe, you beast!” Yang Liu, who was chatting on the kang, was startled by his actions.

“Oh my, are you going to kill someone?” Startled, Yang Liu jumped up and ran into Zhu Mancang’s room. The children on the kang also climbed down and ran outside.

Zhu Jianshe, covered in dirt, was trembling in fear. “Third, third cousin, please don’t do anything rash. Let’s talk things out.”

Wang Zhenhe slapped him. “You despicable scum! You dare to enter anyone’s house, and you dare to have designs on my wife. If you don’t give me a straight answer today, I’ll chop you up. I’ll prevent you from harming decent women again.”

Yang Liu’s shout alarmed everyone in the yard. Zhu Jianguo and Zhu Jiangjun, along with their wives, rushed into the yard, unaware of what was happening in their younger brother’s house.

Zhu Mancang, hastily putting on his clothes and shoes, stumbled out.

“Eldest brother, second brother, hurry to your younger brother’s house. Wang Zhenhe is coming with a knife.”

Zhu Mancang and the others didn’t know why their nephew was confronting their younger son, but the urgency of the situation left no room for further contemplation.

As the three men rushed into the house, they saw Zhu Jianshe being beaten by Wang Zhenhe, lying on the kang with blood at the corner of his mouth. The injuries that had just healed a few days ago had now reverted to their previous state.

Seeing his son being attacked, Zhu Mancang’s anger surged. This nephew had been at odds with him since childhood, and now, to see him using violence against his son only fueled his fury. “You little beast! How dare you even strike your cousin? Have you no sense of decency?”

Wang Zhenhe brandished the kitchen knife in front of Zhu Mancang, startling him, causing him to take a step back. However, he quickly straightened up, his neck stiffened.

“Wang Zhenhe, if you don’t give me an explanation today, you won’t be leaving this house. Eldest son, second son, keep an eye on him. Don’t let this brat escape.”

Although he was his own nephew, compared to his son, the nephew was just a stranger to Zhu Mancang.

Wang Zhenhe, with red eyes and a look of frustration, said, “Explanation? I want you to give me an explanation! Your good son sneaked into our house in the middle of the night. I’ve already been lenient by not reporting him to the Revolutionary Committee and charging him with hooliganism. I’ve said my piece. What more explanation do you want?”

Upon hearing this, Zhu Mancang, who had just been assertive, suddenly looked dejected. “Zhenhe, what my son did was wrong. As an adult, you should overlook his actions. This rascal probably couldn’t control himself after drinking. For the sake of our family relationship, spare my son this time. I promise he won’t dare to make such guesses again.”

Sneaking into a woman’s house in the middle of the night was a serious offense, especially in this era of simple and honest customs. Hooliganism was universally abhorred, and it could even lead to execution by firing squad. Zhu Mancang understood the severity of the situation. Even if Wang Zhenhe didn’t pursue the matter, the damage to their reputation would be significant. If the people in the village found out, their family would find it difficult to stay there.

Zhu Mancang raised his old fist and slapped his son, appearing forceful, but the blow didn’t hurt Zhu Jianshe at all.

“You rascal, how could you do such a thing? She’s your cousin’s wife. You dare to have designs on her. You’ve gone too far. You’ve disgraced our family,” Zhu Mancang said.

Despite being beaten by his cousin, Zhu Jianshe remained defiant and muttered discontentedly to his father, “I’m just following your lead.”

Zhu Mancang, angered by his son’s insolence, retorted, “You rascal, how dare you speak to your father like that? You’re asking for a beating.”

As the whole Zhu family heard the exchange, Zhu Jianguo stood by indifferently, while his younger brother Zhu Jiangjun glared at his younger brother lying on the kang, clearly disappointed.

Upon hearing this, Yang Liu slapped her husband. “You scoundrel! I work hard every day to support our family, and you dare to do such a thing. Do you have any respect for me?”

Facing his wife’s slap, Zhu Jianshe felt embarrassed. “Alright, but you know you’re no better than me,” he said with a swollen face.

Feeling choked by his words, Yang Liu didn’t dare to cause further trouble and simply sobbed on the side, unsure if she was crying over the situation or herself.

Wang Zhenhe, uninterested in their family drama, held the kitchen knife and gestured towards Zhu Jianshe. “Third Zhu, who told you to do this?”

Everyone watched eagerly to see how Zhu Jianshe would respond. He didn’t hide the truth, saying, “Damn it, it was your sister who talked to me. At first, I didn’t pay much attention, but Wang Zhi kept mentioning it, saying she missed you and that your wife was lonely at home. I heard it so many times that I got the idea to go to your house.”

Wang Zhenhe glared at Zhu Jianshe and questioned, “Are you telling the truth? If you’re lying, I’ll castrate you.”

“Wang Zhenhe, I’ve been beaten and scolded. Do I have any reason to lie to you about this? Besides, your sister isn’t a good person. If she hadn’t reminded me, I wouldn’t have done this,” Zhu Jianshe retorted.

Wang Zhenhe gave Zhu Jianshe a stern look. “If you dare to do this again, it won’t end so easily next time. I advise you to keep a close eye on your son. If he doesn’t change, he’ll face execution by firing squad.”

With that, Wang Zhenhe left the Zhu family ancestral house.